So ended the political life of Vic Toews. One day he accuses anyone who opposes the internet surveillance legislation Bill C30 as people who take the side of child pornographers then he states with amazing fortitude that the legislation does not give any added powers to the law enforcement forces and then shortly after that statement Toews expressed surprise at the content of section 17 on exceptional circumstances found in Bill C30. Considering the present cast of characters in the Conservative Government, it is unlikely that the Prime Minister will dispatch him to the utter darkness “where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth”, I mean the backbenches. Vic has been around a long time. However, his fumbling faux pas regarding opposition to Bill C30, shows that his shelf life as a legitimate member of the cabinet should be at an end. It is important to see the political life and death of Vic Toews in relation to the rest of the Conservative Party agenda.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill: “Never in the field human political conflict has so little been owed to so many”. Week after week horror is heaped upon horror as the Conservative Jugernaut moves to replace or remake Canadian institutions and programs. It is of course deeply disturbing as we watch a vision of Canada which decidedly is not shared by a majority of Canadians being put forward day by day with provocative braggadocio. Harper’s Government is intent upon putting its imprint on Canada. But the question that I would pose is, “Does he really believe that his vision of Canada will actually be accepted by a majority population that is already showing signs of rebellion.
The danger for any “majority” government that is elected in the manner of the Conservative Party, is that, although they unquestionably have a majority of sitting members in the House of Commons, they have no majority of support in the general population. They received about 40% of the 50% of those who voted in the election. In truth this is a very small group of people upon which to base their politics of radical change. Of course their spin-doctors, flacks and political hacks make great statements about how much support they really have, but they are walking on very thin ice indeed if they think that there will be a wholesale dismantling of the social support system that we have in Canada. All governments need to be reminded that just because they are elected, they do not have the right to do anything they choose to do. The people will have the last word. If not at the ballot box then on the streets.
Agreed. I am convinced that unless the ballot box is changed to accept something initially as simple as a preferential ballot it may well come to “in the streets”. However, because of our vast geography, widely separated cities, scattered towns, and a climate that either bakes, steams or freezes us it’s difficult to get masses into the streets. Seems, however, that the Internet in all its ramifications is now our street. No wonder Harper and Co. are wanting to put a chill on us there.
Amen Brother! But as the Occupy Movement has changed our idea of protest, I still think there are new and creative ways of making democracy effective.